It's Different Now
by Call Moi Crazy
Summary: Book 5, Out of Sight, Out of Time, in Zach's POV.
1. You're here!

**Okay, I was reading this story and I really like where the author went with it. I want to do one in my own opinion. So basically, it is book 5 in Zach's point of view. **

**I don't own Out of Sight Out of Time, if I did, I would have read it way earlier than I did. **

Cammie was the last person I had. She was the only thing that kept me going. She was the last thing I loved. _I'll admit it, I loved Cammie Morgan. _

But now she's gone.

We all now she should have been back by now. The start of the school years already happened. Her summer deadline is passed. That means she's now MIA, even if her mission wasn't approved. I don't know what to believe anymore, but I know I don't want to believe she's dead. But I have to, that way when it's confirmed I can take it. But I don't think I can ever take that.

I lived through my dad being gone, it's not like I really knew him anyway. I lived through my mom being evil, but that was all because of Cammie (not her being evil, being able to live with her being evil). But Cammie being gone, it's like part of me is gone. I didn't even get to tell her how I felt before she left. I should have known she would leave, I should have known. I should have known where she would go. I should have known she was going to leave. I should have known a lot of things.

Sure I know what the square root of 21,160,000 (4600 in case you were wondering).

I know where Micronesia is.

I could take down some one four times my size.

But that's all useless if Cammie isn't here.

I'm useless if Cammie isn't here. I need Cammie to be here.

~Page Break~

"Zach," anyone walking into the barn at two in the morning would have surprised me, but the fact that it was Bex and Ms. Morgan shocked me more.

Let's just say that I haven't been in a _great _mood since school's started. I haven't really talked to anyone. I mean, I've said some things to Bex, but since we came back from looking from her, I haven't really said anything more than hi.

"We need to talk," Bex said. I looked to Ms. Morgan and she nodded. I reluctantly followed them to Ms. Morgan's office.

I leaned against the door after I shut it. I didn't want to talk, not about anything. Not about the weather, school, nothing. Especially not –

"It's Cammie," she said quietly. I let myself slip down the wall and onto the ground. I didn't dare move my eyes from the floor as she continued; afraid that I might break in front of them. "She's . . ." Ms. Morgan seemed unable to continue so I figured it was bad news.

Bex looked excited though; happy, relieved, care-free even. It made my head hurt to think about what the news might be.

"SHE'S OKAY!" Bex screamed when Ms. Morgan didn't finish. _She's okay, my Gallagher Girl's okay. _

"She's at a convent in the Alps." Ms. Morgan said, but I wasn't really listening anymore. _Gallagher Girl's okay. She's alive, she's somewhere, and she's safe. _I stood up fast and shocked Ms. Morgan and Bex. _She's not getting away this time. _

"Don't worry Zach," Ms. Morgan smiled the first in what seemed to be in years. (Well, it was only months since Cammie left, but you know what I mean.) "She's not going anywhere."

I walked in a daze back to my room; _my Gallagher Girl is okay, she's okay, she's safe and she's coming back. _

(Page Break)

I liked to say the next morning I was happy. I mean, Gallagher Girl would be back today, but I wasn't happy. I know, I'm weird; Gallagher Girl runs away, I go crazy run away and try to find her, then I go with Bex to find her, then I'm in a horrible mood because she wasn't back for her deadline, then I hear she's coming back, then I'm not happy.

But, what am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to do?

Macey and Liz are going to act like everything is normal, Bex is planning anything until she sees her, but I don't know what I'm going to do. 

Things were _going _to be different, if I like it or not. But how it will be different, I can't tell you. I wish I told her before she left because, now isn't a great time. She might think I'm lying or something, or just trying to make her stay again.

Ms. Morgan said I didn't have to go to classes but, I couldn't just sit around and wait. So, I decided to go to some; I was planning on going to CoveOps and P&E, but fate I guess had its own plans.

Cammie arrived before CoveOps and everyone went down to meet her at the door, except me. I know, I know, not a great way to start but I wanted to see her for the first time without people watching. So, instead of going down stairs, I roamed the halls thinking.

It had been thirty-seven minutes and twenty-six seconds since I heard the girls stop talking; that means it had been thirty-seven minutes and twenty-six seconds since Cammie was back and I still wasn't ready to talk to her yet, not that I would be able to alone right now. But like I said, I think fate was having some fun with me and her.

I was about 5 feet from turning a corner in the hallway when I stopped dead in my tracks. I don't know why; it was like I couldn't move.

All of a sudden Cammie turned the corner and was standing in front of me. I wanted to scream at fate and tell it I wasn't ready. I took a deep breath and ran my finger down her arm; I needed to make sure this was real, that it wasn't a dream. She closed her eyes when I touched her, but I kept moving my hand up and down not moving besides that.

"Zach," she started, easing closer. "What are you doing here? Are you . . .? Is it . . . ?" She asked, but they both knew those questions didn't matter. "You're here!"

I couldn't help but be cocky; I wanted so badly for things to go back to the way they were, but I knew some things had to be different. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you."

"What are you doing here?" she asked; boy, she sure wasn't putting two and two together.

"I sort of . . . go . . . here now." I said; I really hoped she wasn't mad or anything.

"You do?" she asked but as soon as she said the words she nodded and I could tell she finally understood. I chose to work against my mom , meaning that the same people that wanted her, wanted me.

"Cammie," Dr. Wolf said from behind Cammie. I knew she had to get tests and things but I really didn't want her to leave. "I'm Dr. Wolf. We're ready for you."

I played with the ends of her hair; it was so _different _now.

"How . . . are you?" she asked, but I didn't want to tell her the truth. _I'm was horrible without you. I couldn't sleep, I hardly eat enough, I went crazy, and now that you're here, you still feel gone. _Instead of saying _that _thought I went with,

"It's different," I stared at her new hair, and pretended not to hear her question. "It's different now." _So different. _


	2. A not so secret meeting

**Thanks so much for my reviews. I'm glad you like it. Classified, I really wanted someone to do his point of view of book 5, and I got tired of waiting so I made one. And thanks, I try hard not to have spelling errors; it just ruins the story if you do. **

It was hours later when Bex came up to me and wanted to talk. I led her through the school to a quite classroom.

"I can't go to the room. _She'll _be there." Bex said, I knew she didn't know what she was going to say. Bex had forgiven Cammie for being a bad friend, but she didn't forgive her for being a bad spy. Now, I know that sounds weird, but Cammie is in constant danger and she decided to be stupid and run away without back up. Bex didn't really like that fact; Cammie was in danger and she set of to get hurt.

"You're going to have to talk to her eventually." I said as she hoped onto a desk; her leg was pressed against mine.

"I can't do it," she said and I literally laughed out loud.

"I find that hard to believe. I'm the guy who was with you and your parents all summer remember? I was the one in Budapest. I saw you in action in Greece. So don't pull that on me. I know exactly what your capable of."

"Budapest was an exception," she said but she started laughing too.

"What about Macey and Liz?" I asked wondering if they were sticking to their originally plan of acting like nothing was wrong.

"They think we have to act like nothing's wrong –that we have to pretend so maybe she'll get her memory back or whatever." I thought she sounded like a brat, but I knew why she really didn't want to, so I didn't comment.

"She looks so different." I said. Bex sighed and leaned her head against my shoulder.

"She _is _different." I could have sworn I heard something outside the door so I figured we better go somewhere either more private or just back to our rooms.

'Let's just go, okay?" I asked and she nodded. We walked back to our rooms leaving the discussion for now.

(Page Break)

I ran down the grand stair case screaming, "Hey, Bex!" I fell into step next to her and we made our way down the elevator together. "Go on ahead," I told Bex before slipping into the shadows of sublevel 3. Cammie and Macey made their way out of one of the elevators nearby.

"The classroom's this way," Macey told Cammie as she started to walk. Cammie followed at a much slower pace and looked like she was struggling to breath.

"It's okay," I told her, I knew it would feel like the tombs. "You're not crazy." I said. She turned to me,

"I'm not?" she asked; it sounded as if she was talking less about sublevel three being like the tombs and more about her life. I shook my head,

"No," I took a look at the low ceilings and the close walls, "It's just like the tombs."

"Cammie, we're in here," Abby called from the classroom, and without saying another word she turned and headed into the classroom. She gave Cammie a seat up near her and I could tell Cammie, being the Chameleon that she was, didn't want to be so visible. I couldn't help but think, _She's no longer invisible anymore. _

Abby started taking about how Professor Townsend didn't want to teach us about something and the second she grabbed the crate I knew they were firearms.

"You know what these are, don't you?" Abby asked me.

I lowered my head in shame and said, "Yes."

"I thought so," I was glad that there was no judgment in her voice. "Do you feel like telling us about it?"

I shook my head, "No."

She went on to talk about P&E and why you Professor Townsend didn't want us to know about them. I stared contently at my folded hands while my knuckles turned white.

Eventually Abby was cut off by Tina's scream, "Oh my gosh, Cammie!"

"What?" Cammie responded and I looked up to see a gun in her hands pointed toward the door.

"How did you do that?" Abby asked. "Cammie, how did you –" Cammie moved a piece of the gun and the weapon became useless.

"Cammie," I said as I slide off of my seat and eased toward her. "put the rifle –"she dropped the gun and jumped back.

"Cammie, how did you do that?" Abby asked.

Cammie looked at her and shook her head, "I don't know," and with that she took off running.


	3. Only a Towel :D

**I'm back. You guys are great reviewers. If you have any opinions please feel free to share, and constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks and please review! I'll be updating in a few days and yes I;m doing the whole book. :)**

I tried to clear my head of everything that had happened, but so far it wasn't going so well. I decided to take a shower and see if that would help. When I started walking down the hallway I was shocked at what I found.

"Cammie?" I said. She looked at me and blood rushed to her checks. I could tell me being only in a towel made her feel weird.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I –" she started.

"What are you doing here?" I said, and looked at her, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it. She went from embarrassment to hatred in one second it seem; though I don't know why should would hate me for being here.

"Cammie," I said taking a step closer, "Were you looking for me?" I knew she was but I wanted to hear her say it. I mean why else would she be there.

"No. Why would you think –"

"My room," I said pointing to the end of the hall. "Is that why you're here?"

"Uh . . . no." she said; she looked really uncomfortable, like she was trying to be cool , but was failing. I don't know why she wasn't able to be cool; I mean a towel is better than having nothing, right? "Where's Bex?" she asked.

"I don't know." I was shocked at first that she would ask me, and then I remembered that we had gotten fairly close over the summer from looking for Cammie.

"Oh," she said; she looked really hurt, but I couldn't tell why. I guess probably because she and Bex aren't that great of friends anymore, since Bex wasn't really saying a whole lot to her. The silence pulsed between us until I couldn't take it anymore. I'm sure she didn't want to hear this sentence again but I thought it might be different coming from me.

I dropped my voice and said, "Hey, are you okay? Today, that wasn't really you, you know?" She looked a little agitated from me asking but it was building up fast. I could almost see smoke coming out of her ears when she said,

"Oh, and you'd know the real me, wouldn't you? Because I'm pretty sure I've never known the real you."

"Cam –"

"I mean, all this time I thought your parents were dead, Zach. I distinctly remember you telling me your parents were dead."

"No. You remember _assuming _my parents were dead, and my not correcting you."

"But actually your mom is the women who's been chasing me for over a year," she went on, as if I hadn't said anything. "Which explains how you always knew so much, doesn't it?" she stared at me, angry flowing out of her eyes. "At least that explains something," She said a little softer.

I stepped closer, "What are you doing here, Gallagher Girl? What brought you here, really?"

"Dr. Steve," she said, not sounding too angry anymore. "I came to talk to Dr. Steve."

I turned to Dr. Steve and then back at Cammie. I couldn't help but feel angry; she may have come to talk to him, but I knew she was also kind of lying too. I could tell that's not _why _she had come this way, but it was more fate that brought her here. I brushed past her clearly angry.

"Well then, don't let me stop you." I whispered in her ear as I walked by. "Believe it or not, Gallagher Girl, I'm all out of secrets."

I focused on being angry so that I wouldn't turn back and look at her. I didn't need to show her just how much this rift between us hurt. I wanted her, correction; I _needed _her to understand why I didn't tell her. But I guess it was only fair, since I didn't get why she left without back up.

I tried to ignore the horrible feeling inside me when I got to my room. It was a mixture of emotions. I was happy she was back, but at the same time she still felt gone; I was hurt to see her beat up and bruised, yet I was happy she was okay; I felt regret for not being there, but at the same time angry that she didn't take me with her; and lastly, I was heartbroken when I was with her, but it hurt when I wasn't near her in a whole other way. Some may say that it is impossible; for me to feel so sad when I was with her, but yet feel a whole other kind of pain when she was gone. Others would say its love; but Zachary Goode didn't fall in love.

Maybe that's changed?

**Love it? Hate it? Let me know in the reviews please :)**

**Love you all -Katie**


	4. I remember this

**I'm back. Sorry about the 2 week break but I just wasn't sure how to do this next scene since we don't exactly know what happens with Zach. So, I did it the way I think it happened. Thanks and please review! I'm also leaving out the part about Mr. Steve and Zach. **

We sat in a van driving. I didn't know where we were going or why. I just sat in the back seat next to Bex chatting. We pulled up to Mr. Solomon's log cabin and walked in.

Abby played the tape and we watched Cammie on the screen. My felt dizzy and I no longer heard the words they were saying. I left my eye's follow Cammie's searching the room.

"Zach, what is it?" Mrs. Morgan asked. I let my gaze look around the room before settling on the book shelves.

"Those are out of order," I said pushing around the books to reveal a loose piece of paneling. I opened it and stared into the darkness.

"What was in there, Zach? Was it weapons? Passports? Cash?" Abby asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know. He never showed me this?"

"Think Zach!" Abby snapped. "What did Joe –"

Mrs. Morgan cut her off, "Not Joe. That's not Joe's hiding place. It's Matthew's"

I _really _spaced off after that. I didn't hear a single word anyone said as my mind floated to summer. I could feel the anger rising up in me. Soon enough I slammed the screen door and snapped at no one in particular.

"I should have known she would come here. I should have _known_."

Bex tried to comfort me, "Don't blame yourself, _you _aren't the one to blame." But she didn't realize how wrong she was. Cammie wasn't to blame either. I mean of course running was stupid; running alone was even more stupid. But she was desperate. I could see where she was coming from. I had been desperate too, asking her to run away with me.

Cammie burst through the doors and ran around the corner. I knew she wasn't running away again; she was simply running away from whatever happened inside. She needed space. So when Bex took off after her, I didn't follow.

(PAGE BREAK) (PAGE BREAK) (PAGE BREAK)

It was a few hours later and the girls still weren't back. An alarm broke through Joe's house, signaling that someone tripped a wire in the woods. Now it could have been a bird or something; but my gut told me it wasn't. So maybe that's why I took off without explaining what it was to Abby and Mrs. Morgan.

When I reached Cammie she was holding a gun. I looked at the body at Bex's feet with fresh blood staining his shirt. I pulled on the gun; wanting her to give it from me, to take it away from her.

"Cammie," I whispered in her ear. "Cammie, give me the gun."

"Give it to him" Abby snapped running up the hill with her sister.

I helped Liz to the car while mentally beating myself up. Why didn't I follow her? Then it would have been my shooting the gun and not her.

(**AN: I was going to stop here but seeing as I didn't update last weekend I decided to be nice and update the next scene too. )**

The next moring Mrs. Morgan woke me up and asked me to watch over Cammie. I found her near the grand staircase.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. She looked startled to see me at first but quickly covered her face in a mask. When she didn't answer I started to get worried, "Cammie, are you –"

"I'm fine," she said and ran into a sitting room nearby, "Hold this."

"Gallagher Girl," I said skeptically. It rolled off my tongue like it usually did, he nickname that is, but I couldn't help but realize that I hadn't said that lately. I watched as the stones rolled away to reveal a passage way.

"I just want to check on something," she said while she stepped over the ashes carefully. I followed and said,

"Does this _something _have to do with the two limos that pulled up outside?" She didn't answer.

"I thought the passage ways were all blocked off," I asked.

"The ones they know about are closed off. And besides, this one doesn't go outside. It's not a perimeter threat." I had to crouch low and turn my shoulder as weird angles to follow, but I did. She gave off some more information about passages ways and I took in every word. She was finally giving me information about herself and her school that I didn't have to hunt down; so I took it all in, not forgetting one word.

I tried to tell her that she didn't want to be there, listening to the trustees but she wouldn't listen. Then again she would really be Cammie if she did.

After a while Cammie took off. I struggle to follow. When I finally caught up to her, she was in open room standing at a window.

I grabbed her and spun her towards me, "Don't do that. Don't ever run away again."

"I killed someone," she said. I thought back to yesterday. I had already beaten myself up for not following her so that I could have done that.

"You saved Bex," I said.

"They think I'm dangerous. They think –"

"They don't know you!" At the time I didn't know I was screaming but it didn't matter anyways. "They don't know you," I said again, taking her hands. "I know you."

"They're strangers" she said.

"Yeah," I agreed, trying to make her feel better. She pulled away and looked into my eyes.

"Impartial, informed, unbiased strangers, and they think something's wrong."

"Why did you kill him, Cammie?" I asked after a while.

"I don't know," she said but I went on as if she didn't talk.

"Why didn't you let _me_? They teach us how to do those things. At Blackthorne."

She started getting mad, "The Gallagher Academy doesn't exactly leave its graduates clueless on the subject, you know."

I shook my head, "They teach you how to save lives. They teach us how to take them. And then, how to live with ourselves after . . ." I touched the window. "It's all my fault."

"Nothing is your fault."

"I told you to run away. I gave you the idea."

"No you didn't. I'd known for a long time that it was my best option."

"You should have taken me!" I shouted. "You needed me." I reached out to touch her head but she moved away.

"Why? So I could watch Mr. Solomon's protégé throw himself on another bomb to protect me? So that I could watch someone else get hurt?"

"So we could keep each other safe!"

"New flash, Zach; I am safe!" But she wasn't; she had come so close to dying. She had done things she shouldn't have. She had killed someone without thought.

"You could have died, Cammie."

"I'm breathing, and I'm home and –"

"You could have died."

"I'm fine," she said as I reached her side.

"You could have died," I said and the tears started pouring down her face.

"I killed someone."

"I know."

"I killed someone and I don't even remember pulling the trigger. That can't be normal. YOU take a man's life, you should remember it. You should think about it. You should know what you're doing and . . ."

I kissed her. My hands traveled to brace her neck.

"I remember this," she said running her fingers on me chest. "I remember this," she said again and I muffled my moan by kissing her again. I let my lips trace her bruises.

"I . . . Are you afraid of me, Zach?"

"No."

"I am."

Please review.

Love Ya'll,

Katie, the daughter of Poseidon and a Gallagher Girl at heart.


	5. Holding hands

**I'm back. Sorry about not updating but it's summer now so I'll be updating more. Thanks and please review! Also please read my other story, Spy Love. **

After our kiss this morning, Cammie and I walked into the Grand Hall holding hands. Now, on the outside it may look like this was a little too much PDA for me, but on the inside I couldn't be happier showing the world she was mine. Everyone in the Grand Hall most likely already knew that, but still, showing them wasn't so bad.

"Well, how are _you _this morning?" Tina Walters said as we neared the table.

"Scoot," I told her. She smiled and moved down on the bench. Once we sat down, I handed a plate of bacon to Cam.

"No thank you, I'm not hungry." She said rather than taking the plate.

"I thought you wanted waffles," Bex looked accusingly at her.

"I –" she started but I cut her off plopping a waffle on her plate.

"Here," I said reaching for the butter.

"No, I'm really not –" she started but Liz cut her off.

"You're too skinny,"

"Yeah, it's true. Some girls look better with some fullness in their face." Macey said of course having to relate it to looks. Cammie gave in and eat her waffle.

Macey and Bex talked about Cammie's hair but I stopped listening; I took in the sights around me and the feeling of having Cam so close. She was right where she needed to be sitting next to me, her legs slightly touching mine. I figured the worlds were playing around in her head from early because she had a far off look on her face. I moved my hand to the small of her back to let her know I was here, that everything was fine.

Ten minutes later after eating and some more small talk I didn't listen to, we were getting up to go. Liz back pack somehow slipped from her grip and textbooks, notebooks, notecards, papers, and pencils scattered across the floor. When I looked closer I noticed the mail their too; flyers, envelopes and magazines were there amongst the mess.

"What is that?" Macey asked probably summing up what was on every one's mind.

"Mail," Liz started before lowering her voice and saying, "I got it from the _cabin, _I thought I'd go read it to _him._"

"Oh, I'm sure he's very interested in the prices of fertilizer at the local feed store." Bex said picking up a flyer.

"It might help," Liz said. I couldn't help but think that she had the biggest brain here and she would use up every bit of it to fix Mr. Solomon. Which was both, a comforting thought, and a terrifying one. She went on to state some hypothesis about normal interactions and such, but I stopped listening. Instead I watched as Cammie's eyes went onto an envelope with Italian stamps.

"Who's that from?" Bex took the words out of my mouth.

Her voice was low when she answered, "Me."

Bex took off running and all we could do was follow.

"Bex," Cam called just as Bex screamed, "Headmistress!"

"Bex, I think she's –" Cam started but the headmistress's door flew open and Abby was standing there.

"Busy," Cam said letting out a breath.

"What?" Abby said. Liz crashed into something and fell down, but I wasn't really watching. I reached down and picked her up never letting my eyes fall from the scene in front of me. "This is not a good time."

"We need to talk to headmistress Morgan. We need to talk to both of you." Bex said way too determined if you ask me.

"Not now," Abby said easily.

But Bex wouldn't listen, she just pushed the package toward Abby and shouted, "This was at the cabin!"

Abby's eyes went wide and she whispered "_Rome._"

**Please review. Also, if you have an ideas about what to do for Zach doing to Rome because we actually don't know how he got there. Thanks!**

**Love Ya'll,**

** Katie, the daughter of Poseidon and a Gallagher Girl at heart. **


	6. Running away again

**Okay, so I'm skipping the part in the office. We really don't need to recap that and go through all that again, do we? So anyway, this starts with Cam, Bex, and Macey already gone; the next morning to be exact. Enjoy This is just one way of him getting there since we don't actually know. Just want to say thanks to what-evers-good for the idea; I loved it but I don't think he stowed away on the plane. But I really liked the run idea but realistically this makes more sense. **

After not seeing Cam, Bex or Macey in the first class, I started to worry. Anything could have gone down without me there. They could have run away and convinced Liz to cover for them as far as I knew.

"Liz," I called out after class. She tried to ignore me but I walked in step with her. "Liz," I said again. She sighed.

"Yes, Zach?"

"Do you miss Jonas?" I asked trying to trick her into telling me they were gone without me having to ask.

"What?" was her answer. I gave her a look that clearly said _Why are you avoiding me question? _ She looked at me exasperated. "I thought you were going to ask me about Cammie, Bex, and Macey. I was so nervous I was going to tell you they left to go to Rome."

I smiled, "Thanks Lizzie." And I started to walk away. I heard a faint _Oppsie _as I walked away.

~Page Break~

I got there after night fall. I found there safe house and was trying to figure out a plan to get in when Cammie came out. I was shocked. _Maybe she saw me? _I thought, but I could have sworn she would be asleep about now.

Luckily that was proved wrong when Cammie started walking down the street the opposite direction. I did that smart (and natural) thing; I followed her.

She appeared to be asleep. _Sleepwalking maybe? _

"Cammie," I yelled. "Cammie, Cammie, Cammie." I called her name over and over, keeping up with her but not catching up to see if she would wake up. She started running and I chased after her. "Cammie, wait! Cammie, stop!" I was getting so close.

"Cammie," I yelled one last time and finally me arms found their way around her. I picked her up, not wanting her to get away.

"No. No. No." she said, trying to get her feet to touch the ground.

"Cammie! Gallagher Girl, wake up!"

"No. No!" she kept saying.

"Cammie," I said right before I slammed her into the wall in attempt to wake her up and stop the flailing. "Cammie, are you okay?" I asked she didn't answer. "Cammie, wake up!" I shouted. "Tell me you're okay. Tell me –"

"Where am I?" She asked. "Zach?"

"Cammie, are you hurt?"

"Why are _you_ here, Zach? Why aren't you at school? Why are you . . . You ran away."

"I was worried about you. Looks like I was right to."

"So you just . . . left?"

"All the cool kids are doing it." After a while I asked, "Cammie, what are you doing –"

"I don't know, okay?"

"Come on," I said grabbing her hand. "We've got to get you back to Abby before she –"

"Were you here with me, Zach? Last summer . . ."

"What are you talking about, Gallagher Girl?"

"I know you left the Baxters' I know you ran away. And . . . I know I was in Rome. And I wasn't alone."

"Someone else was with you?" I asked shocked. "Someone was _with you_?" I said with way too much anger for my liking. Boy, what did this girl do to me?

"Tell me, Zach. And don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying!" I snapped. "Last summer, I _did _go looking for you. And when I couldn't find you, I went looking for _my mom_. And that's not exactly something I'm proud of."

I tried to put my coat around her shoulders but she wouldn't let me.

"Listen to me." I said grabbing her arms and holding her so she couldn't look away from my eyes. "I couldn't find you. And I will never forgive myself for that. Ever."

After I while I said, "We're getting you out of here." I lead her back to where we came but she turned an alley.

"This way," she said.

"No, Cam, you're turned around. I followed you for six blocks, and I was the one who was conscious. Trust me, the safe house is –"

"I have to go this way," she said and stepped into the alley. "Two. One. Nine," she said.

"I don't like this position, Gallagher Girl." I said scanning the alley.

"Four. Seven. Six," she went on as if I didn't say anything.

"Come on. We've got to get you back to the safe house." I tried.

"Two." She pushed a small section of the wall and a tiny door popped open, reveling a keypad. She reached forward to type in the code. "Two-one-nine-four-seven-six-two." A solid metal door popped open but instead of letting her cross, I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder.

I ran down the alley cursing under my breath about how she should listen to me and to stop questioning me.

"But Zach, I –" She started.

"I don't care," I snapped.

"Zach, let me go!" But I wasn't stopping and wasn't planning on it. Until I heard,

"Cammie? Is that you?"

**Okay, so I'm I just got to Virginia for vacation and if you want me to update while I'm here this week, I'm asking for 6 reviews. Next week (the 15****th**** through the 21****st****), I will not be able to update. So, if you want more before then I suggest you review! Anyway, I hope you liked it bye!**


	7. If you want to rip each others guts out

**So . . . who's ready to come at me with pictch forks for not updating sooner? I'm sorry! I've been forcusing all my time on Welcome to the World of Boys and Wake-Up Zachy when I get ideas and I've neglected this story! I'm trying to get back into it. I was thinking on the weekends I have a smaller amount of homework – so like every three weeks ish – I'll update this story instead of Welcome to the World of Boys. I'm sorry they won't be fast updates but I promise winter break will be better and hopefully I'll wrap up the book around then . . . or not. So I'm gonna shut up now so you can read what you've been waiting for . . . **

"I guess you did come back." The guys said. After a while of me studying him (not that he knew that), he said, "Thank goodness you're okay." He opened his arms and stepped forward to give Cammie a hug, but I lunged between them.

"That's close enough," I said and I could practically feel Cammie roll her eyes. This _guy _however, laughed. I _however _didn't think any of this was funny.

"Sorry,_ you _must be Zach. I keep forgetting we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Preston."

He put his hand out for me to shake but I just stared out it; contemplating if I should break it or not. Eventually he just put his hand back to his side.

"Cam told me all about you. But it looks like she hasn't told you about me. I guess that summer didn't mean anything to you, Cammie. And here I thought I'd made an impression." He seemed carefree and as if nothing was wrong, but I however was feeling my anger rising. "So," he said reaching for the door. "I guess you remember the code?"

"No. I really don't." He looked confused but in a second there was another man running down the alley screaming, "Freeze!"

I turned to Cammie, "Run!"

"Zach, no!" she yelled jumping in between me and the man. "Stop!" _saying stop isn't going to get the man to go away_ I thought in my head as I grabbed her and set her down further from the man.

"Ms. Morgan," the man snapped. "Go!" Well, I didn't really process that statement until _after_.

"You're _both_ telling me to run!" Cammie cried. I high and loud whistle pierced the air, reverberating down the small alley way. I turned to Bex.

"If you boys want to beat each other's guts out, I', willing to let you, but I'd rather get Cam someplace safe and find out what she's doing walking the streets at five in the bloody morning." She started back down the alley before adding, "Oh and Zach, if you're going to run away from school, leave a note. Even Cam did that."

The _man _grabbed Cammie and pushed her down the alley as I stood there somewhat shocked.

"Preston?" Macey called, and until then I had forgotten about the _normal _bastard. "Preston is that you?"

"I think we need to go inside," he simply said.

Man I could so go for kicking his sorry ass.

**Ah, who doesn't love Zach?**

**Challenge: What's your favorite line from this chapter? Can be directly from OSOT or from mine. **

**Please review. I know I don't deserve them because I took forever to update and it was short but please? Oh and about the length. I thought going into the next part would make it too long and I wanted to update soon, plus I really loved the ending of this one and if I had just put a page break I think it would have taken away the effect of the last line. **


	8. Answers

**It's Different Now: Book 5 in Zach's POV**

Chapter 8

_Answers_

Not once did anyway have to say there name as we got further into the embassy. _Idiot, _I thought.

"You really ought to change that more often," Cam said as Preston typed in the code she had strangely remembered earlier.

"Will do," he told her with a smile that made me want to punch him in the gut.

"Welcome back, sir," A marine said as he let us in.

"Clear us through to residence, okay?" he asked and the marine said yes before letting us through.

"Cool place," Bex commented under her breath but he still seemed to hear.

"That's the thing about having a dad who runs for president. Even losing has its privileges." He took us all in but his eyes settled on Macey. "It's good to see you, Mace." _Ew, what kind of nickname is Mace, can he get more creative? _

"Hi, so . . . Rome?" she answered/asked/whatever, you know what I mean. "It's nice," she said taking in the space around her and I couldn't help but wonder if she was just looking or storing away the information for later.

"Yeah, it was this or the embassy in Tokyo –I told you that, right?" Macey nodded and said something about not talking to him.

"I'll just be a second," Preston whispered in Cam's ear and I let my hands curl into fists. "You guys can wait in the dining room. No one uses it on the morning. Cammie knows the way." Before I could even think about getting madder a voice called out down the wall.

"Cammie! You're here." _Is everyone fucking after Cam?_

"How are you Cammie?" Ambassador Winters asked. "It's so good to see you and Preston back _together again." _Cue hands digging into my palms as I watched Preston blush from across the table. If it wasn't for Abby glancing in my direction my hands would be around that fucking bastard's neck. "So, my dear, what brings you to Rome?"

"Fall break," Cammie said easily, "And I knew I couldn't come to Italy without stopping by, because of . . ." _Because of what? _I wanted to scream but I took a deep breath and counted to ten.

"Me," Macey said, "I insisted we come by even though it's early. We only have a few hours before we catch our connecting flight and leave town."

"Oh, Macey, dear. I didn't see you there." _Don't tell me this creep wants Cammie too? _"And who are your friends?"

"Ambassador Winters, allow me to introduce my aunt Abby and her . . . boyfriend." Townsend tensed next to Cammie's glaring aunt while Bex look liked she was about to choke.

"And this is our roommate, Bex." Macey said and Bex shook his hand.

"And this is Zach," Cam concluded, but I made no move to shake that perverts hand and stood with my arms crossed over my chest instead.

"Welcome, welcome," he rushed to say, "Now, I'm afraid I was just about to run out for a breakfast meeting at the Vatican, but I'm so glad you stopped by. Preston, take good care of these fine people."

"Yes, sire," he answered and I had to hold in my laugh. _Boy he sounded like a dork._

"Cammie, dead, it was good to see you again," he said giving her a hug and I tensed at the sight, "You all come back at any time." And then he was gone.

Preston pushed Cam through a door and motioned for us to follow, "Can you wait a second?"

"This is fine, thanks," Abby answered and even though she was implying it was safe and Preston didn't catch that he left without a word.

"So _you're _Zach." Townsend stated with a judging voice as he looked me up in down.

I huffed but managed a little smile, "So _you're _Townsend?" we started at each other until he nodded and took a breath.

"I supposed you should hear it from me that I have met you mother. Well . . . when I say _met_, I mean one time I tried to kill her."

The air changed but I ignored as I looked at him, "Do me a favor. Next time, don't just try." Townsend smiled.

"Boys," Bes said plopping down at a chair quickly followed by Abby who rolled her eyes.

"Exactly."

"Excuse me, Abigail, but whose shift did she get away during?" he glared.

"Excuse me, Townsend, but who was supposed to booby-trap the doors?"

"I'm an agent of Her Majesty's Secret Service. I do not do _booby _traps."

"Well maybe you should start." Bex added. "If you haven't already heard, Cammie's pretty good at running away."

"I didn't run away," Cammie snapped, "I didn't. This time I sleepwalked away. And I came here."

"Why," Abby asked, but I was still think about Townsend and Abby moments ago. They have some _serous _sexual tension they need to get rid of.

The door creaked open as _he _came back. "So what brings you back to Rome, Cammie? Why are you _really _here?" _Dam-it this guy could read her? I have some serious work to do. _

"Well about last summer," Cammie started and Preston turned to Macey.

"Do you know about this?" and Macey looked at Abby her nodded her head.

It took a while before Macey finally started, "You know how I go to that boarding school? Well it's –"

"A training academy for spies, I know. Cammie told me." I swallowed and gave Cammie a look.

"Indeed." Townsend but I ignored him and continued looking at Cammie.

"I had my reasons," she said. "I don't _remember _my reasons, but I'm sure I must have had them."

"When?" Abby asked but I kept my eyes trained on Cammie. He said something about knowing Abby but I tuned it out as I thought about the last time Cam and I were alone. I tuned in when I heard Baxter yelling.

"We are all willing to die for her. So answer the woman's question!"

"July," Preston gulped out. "She showed up on the Fourth of July. I remember because I'd been wishing there were fireworks. Then you came and . . . well . . . I guess I got them." I glared at Preston my eyes digging in the side of his head and my hands curled to firsts under the table.

"She came here –to this embassy-in July?" Abby asked.

"No," Preston said, "She came to _me_." I'm sure if you looked at my eyes they were murderess but no one seemed to notice as my hands curled tighter. "You said you were backpacking through Europe and missed a train, got separated from your parents. That's what you said at least."

"But you saw through me?" Cam asked surprised.

"Really, Cam . . . you didn't even _have _a backpack. At first I thought . . . well, I don't know what I thought. You were sick or something You totally charmed Mom and Dad, though. They insisted you take a guest room across the hall from me." My fingers curled even tighter. "And it felt like you slept from a week. You were so –" but McHenry cut him off.

"And you didn't call me! My friend shows up on your doorstep in a foreign country, exhausted and alone, as you didn't think "Hey, maybe I should drop Macey a line'?"

"Macey," Abby tried but I knew only Preston could make her stop.

"She was alone! She was sick and she was alone . . . all summer. She was alone." Macey said plopping back down in her chair.

"Do you ever think about Boston Macey?" Preston asked after a while but he didn't wait for an answer. "About what happened on the roof? I do. I think about it all the time. I still dream about it sometimes. I see the helicopter –the way the shadow spun on the roof. And the way the two of you didn't seem afraid. And that woman –" I went still. "I don't think I'll ever forget that woman. I think about t all the time."

"I know –" Macey started but Preston wasn't having that.

"No," he snapped, "You don't. Because if you did," there was an edge to his voice, "Then you'd know that when the girl who saved your life shows up on your doorstep hungry and exhausted, you take her in, and you bring her some food, and you wait for her to wake up. You want to know why I didn't call you? Because when that girl shows up on your doorstep, you do exactly what she says to do, and she said not to call _anyone_." _Great, _I though, _Now I have to deal with the fact that he thinks of her as his hero. _I resisted the urge to groan and instead waited for someone to say something.

"Everyone comes here when they're lost."

"Preston," Cammie said sitting up a little, "was I . . . dangerous?" I wanted to yell at her and tell her she wasn't but I kept my mouth closed.

"What?" he asked as if it was a ridiculous notion. "You were sleepy. That's it. I thought you were just exhausted and needed a place to rest. Now it's your turn to explain. What brings you back?" he said pointing at her.

"Preston, it's sort of . . . complicated. You know what happned on election night and in Boston, but you don't know about –"

"The Circle of Cavan," Preston filled in. I wanted to growl.

"Ms. Morgan," Townsend warned. Preston said something about sweeping for buys and no surveillance in family area, but I tuned it out until I heard him ask something.

"You really don't remember?" Cam said no. "Don't remember . . . what, specifically?

"Summer," he answered.

"I knew something was wrong. I thought you would call or something after you left, but –"

"She left?" Bex asked.

"Yeah. I cam home one say and your stuff was gone. I found a stained towel and an empty box of hair dye . . . and these."

I reached for the passport and felt a smile on my lips as I spoke for the first time in a while. "I know this name. It's one of Joe's. You must have gotten it from his stash." I handed it to Abby but no one made a move for the book until Bex finally grabbed it.

"I supposed a lot of teenage girls feel invisible sometimes, like they just disappear . . ." she read from the first page.

"What is that?" I asked.  
Cam shook her head but answered anyway, "It's a report, about what happened fall semester of sophomore year." I was going to smirk and make a comment about how it was about Jimmy and not me but Cam was too busy moving on.

"I brought a fake ID and an old CoveOps report to Rome. To sleep." She started bewildered.

"No," Preston shook his head, "After a week or so you woke up and . . ." his next words made me smirk at my Gallagher Girl, "You were here, Cammie, because you said you needed to rob a bank."

**A/N: Hey guys long time no talk. So yeah . . . I got caught up in other stuff again, but remember I'm not abandoning this story it's just coming out slowly. So let me know what you thought please. Love you guys.**

**-Love, Katie **


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